SB169 Alabama 2021 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Vivian Davis FiguresSenator

Democrat

Co-Sponsor

Jack W. Williams

Session

Regular Session 2021

Title

State Port Authority, allow director to appoint up to eleven employees at executive level, terms of certain contracts exempt from state laws limiting confidentiality, technical revision to code, Secs. 33-1-3, 33-1-39 am'd.

Summary

SB169 increases the Port Authority Director’s ability to appoint executive-level staff to up to 11 and creates confidentiality exemptions for certain port contracts, with specific disclosure rules and light code updates.

What This Bill Does

It raises the cap on executive-level non-merit employees the Director can appoint from nine to eleven, with salaries set by the Director and benefits similar to other state employees (subject to possible alternate packages). It allows the Director to hire necessary staff and replace retiring Merit System executives. It also exempts the commercial terms of certain port contracts from state confidentiality laws, while preserving disclosure of contract existence, financing instrument terms, and base rents, and requires redacted copies when sharing exempted contracts. The bill also includes nonsubstantive technical revisions to update the code language and takes effect immediately after governor approval.

Who It Affects

• Port Authority leadership and staff: The Director can appoint up to 11 executive-level non-merit employees, set their salaries, and provide benefits; the port’s staffing and operations may be adjusted accordingly.
• Public and contract information: The confidentiality changes affect what contract details can be publicly disclosed, allowing redacted copies of exempted contracts and limiting access to commercial terms, while keeping existence of contracts and certain financial terms accessible.

Key Provisions

• Amends Section 33-1-3 to increase the number of executive-level non-merit employees the Director may appoint from nine to eleven; salaries set by the Director; benefits provided like other state employees unless an alternate package is funded.
• Allows the Director to hire all necessary personnel for the Port Authority, with board consent, including roles such as secretary-treasurer, and to define their employment terms.
• Amends Section 33-1-39 to keep contracts in writing and to require board approval in some cases; defines confidentiality exemptions for customer-specific contract information.
• Exempts the commercial terms of certain port contracts from state confidentiality laws, with exceptions for the existence of the contract, terms of financing instruments, and base rents; requires redacted copies upon request.
• Includes nonsubstantive technical revisions to align code language with current style and becomes effective immediately after governor approval.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 23, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Port Authorities